New and Improved
by Harlecat
Summary: After a rough summer, Hermione returns to Hogwarts where she meets the new and improved Draco Malfoy. But in a post-war Hogwarts, Death-Eaters are unwelcome, and one familiar enemy might be ready to leave Azkaban behind him and bring the Dark Mark back. Sorry if he summary isn't ideal, but please read and review! I think you'll like it!
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

Hermione Granger felt nostalgic and sentimental as she sat on a bench at Platform Nine and Three Quarters. She was reading the second edition of _Hogwarts: A History _which covered not only everything from the first edition, but also all of the events since she'd started there with Harry and Ron.

But she was having trouble paying attention to the book; all she could see where the children hugging their parents goodbye and bursting in through the walls of the Muggle train station. She closed her book, and sighed.

_I should probably go get on the train and find Ginny and Luna and anyone else who's come back._ She stood up, stuffed her book into her purse. She then started to push her cart toward the train, lugging one clunky suitcase that wouldn't fit behind her. Somehow, her foot got caught in the cart's wheels and she accidentally kicked the suitcase on her way down. It went spiraling over her and she cringed. It was rushing straight toward her head.

A hand seemed to pop out of nowhere and catch the suitcase. Hermione looked up toward her savior, mouth slightly open.

"You should really be more careful," Draco Malfoy said.

Blushing furiously, Hermione pushed herself up. "I'll take my suitcase back, thank you very much." She snatched it, and busied herself setting it back down on the ground. When she came back up, Draco Malfoy was staring at her, head tilted slightly.

"Um," she said. "Hi?"

"Hi. Your hair doesn't look like a broomstick anymore."

"Um..." This was probably the most awkward conversation of her life. "Was that a compliment?"

"I think so." He circled around her (Hermione was reminded of a snake of prowling predator) and took control of her luggage cart. "Allow me."

"No thanks, I'm good." But Draco started pushing the cart towards the train, whistling a cheery tune.

"Wait up!" Hermione called, and chased after him, because there was no way she would let him leave with her bags. "Don't _you _have any stuff to push?"

"Nope. My mother's the type who over prepares."

"Er... okay. What does that mean?"

"She sent it all to the castle ahead of time."

"Okay." Hermione pulled her suitcase up onto the train. "Just so you know, I really don't trust you with my bags."

"Yeah, I figured." Draco lifted the bags out of the cart and made them float up after Hermione. "I'll just leave the cart here."

"Well, um, thank you for your help, it was... random... seeing you, but I really must be going." Hermione used her own wand to make the bags float. She turned to walk away, but glanced back to see Malfoy following her.

"Don't you have someone else to annoy?" she snapped.

Malfoy looked almost hurt for a moment, and Hermione felt a guilty for a second, and then they both recovered.

"As a matter of fact, I don't."

"I guess it's my lucky day," Hermione said sarcastically.

"Or mine," Malfoy flashed her a remarkably charming grin.

Hermione had no idea how to reply, so she just kept pulling her suitcase. Of course she had to trip again, and this time backwards. And of course Malfoy had to catch her.

"You really could kill yourself just by walking down a sidewalk," he said without righting her. Hermione turned red again, too embarrassed to move. And Malfoy just kept _smiling_ at her.

"_No,_ Trevor!" She jerked away at the familiar voice. If it weren't humiliating enough that Malfoy had kept her from falling, it would be if one of her friends caught her in his arms.

A toad hopped by, and Malfoy bent down to pick it up. "I think this is the first time I've actually _seen_ this notorious toad," he said with a perplexed frown.

Neville rounded the corner, looking out of breath. "Trevor, come ba- Oh, hi Hermione." His eyes darted over to Malfoy, then back to her, and he took a step backward. Hermione felt a twinge of relief that she and Malfoy wouldn't be the only people repeating their seventh year of Hogwarts. "Hello, Neville. How was your summer?"

"Pretty good. I have some more wrappers for my wall. Yours?"

Hermione realized that Neville must _actually_ put the wrappers his mum gave him on his walls. "Lousy," she said with a snort, thinking about some of the tough things she'd dealt with- most specifically Ron. But she didn't want to talk about that in front of Malfoy. Neville reached forward, grabbed Hermione by the wrist, and yanked her over.

"Keep calm," he whispered. "He can _smell_ _fear_."

This seemed to amuse Malfoy. "I have your toad," he said, sticking out his hand, which housed a furious looking Trevor.

"Oh. Er. Thanks." Neville took Trevor, who croaked reproachfully as he was stuffed into a pocket of his owner's coat.

"Out of curiosity," Malfoy said with another head-tilt. "How is that toad even still alive?"

"What?" Neville looked surprised and a bit scared.

"I mean, he was practically poisoned once, but Hermione saved him-"

Hermione started. He'd called her by her first name.

"- and he always runs away, and I'm pretty sure Crabbe tried to squash him a few times, and he was here during the whole siege thing, plus toads all have random lifespans... and how come he never ran into the basilisk during our second year?" Draco (if he would call her by her first name, Hermione was _determined _to call him by his) was now staring intently at the pocket where Trevor was trapped. "Is he an Animagnus?"

Neville's jaw dropped, almost like he'd just realized he was there, and not just because of his sudden rant. "I, er, really don't think... I'm leaving now. To Ginny and Luna's apartment. Coming, Hermione?"

Hermione followed him, and Malfoy- Draco- trailed after her. She was put in mind of a lost puppy.

"You really don't have to come, Mal- Draco." she told him. He smiled slightly when she said his first name.

"Ah, but you need masculine protection to save you from the perils of your suitcases."

Neville coughed loudly, not sure if this was a joke and or if Draco was serious.

"Of course," Hermione nodded. "Silly me. I'm in danger, aren't I?"

"Constantly." Neville's coughing now sounded like choking. "Are you okay?"

"Fine, fine." Neville said. "I'm allergic... er... to... er... luggage."

It as Draco's turn to cough, but Hermione didn't disguise her small giggle.

"Um, here's our compartment," Neville shrugged, but looked very pointedly at Draco. Hermione followed him in, and of course Draco followed her. Ginny was sitting next to Luna on one side and Cormac McLaggen on the other. Beside Luna was a boy she'd never seen before.

"Hey, Mione." Ginny said without looking up from her copy of Witch Weekly.

"Hello, Draco." Luna said a bit dreamily from behind the Quibbler. Ginny snapped straight forward, eyes reflecting surprise and fury.

"What is _he _doing here?" she demanded.

"He followed me." Hermione said.

"Is he _spying_ on us or something?"

"I'm right here, you know." Draco finished putting Hermione's luggage onto one of the racks and sat down. He appeared not to have any issues with reaching into Hermione's bigger-than-it-looked purse, taking out a book, and reading it.

"Isn't he a Death Eater?" Cormac narrowed his eyes. Draco twitched, but kept reading. "Well? Aren't you?"

Draco didn't reply.

"Show me your arm!"

"I really don't think that's necessary," Neville said shakily.

Cormac harrumphed, and settled back into his seat, wearing a scowl identical to Ginny's.

"So, um... how's life?" Hermione asked.

"Okay." Ginny said without looking at her. Draco turned the page of his book.

"I just learned the Godric Gryffindor had a mustache," he said to no one in particular.

"Yes," Luna said. "But he shaved it after he was attacked by Blast Ended Screwts."

"You mean Hagrid _didn't_ breed those illegally?" Draco furrowed his brow.

"Well, he did, but he was assaulted by something remarkably like one. Some say Hagrid was _directed _to breed them by goblins."

"What would goblins do with Screwts?" Neville asked, eyes wide.

Draco looked deep in thought, as if this was the most important question in the world. "They could guard vaults pretty well." He glanced toward Hermione and gave her a small smirk. "You know, since the dragon _escaped_."

Hermione stuck her tongue out at him, then grabbed her purse and started rifling around for _Hogwarts: A History, the second edition_. To her horror, she tilted her head to see that _that_ was the book Draco was reading.

She really hoped he didn't read the part about how Albus Dumbledore died, or Snape for that matter.

And she really, _really_ hoped he didn't read the part about Voldemort's time at Hogwarts.

And she really, really, _really, really_ hoped he didn't read all about how Harry Potter had gone to Hogwarts and saved the world.

But Draco was patiently reading the book, looking fascinated. Hermione sighed and found a new book. _Magical Theory_ by Adalbert Waffling. She started reading, and handed Neville a book about Herbology.

Not long after, the compartment door slid open. A shy looking first year with pale skin and floppy brown hair, and shadows under his eyes, peeped in.

"Er..." he said. "Erm... I was wondering... if someone could tell me... what to do with my, erm... ticket?" He held up a shiny ticket to the Hogwarts express. Hermione put down her book.

"I would keep it, if I were you." she pushed some hair out of her eyes. "No one really collects them."

"Oh..." The boy squinted at her, then lit up with recognition. "You're Hermione Granger! I thought you graduated! Is... is Harry Potter here too?" Now he was positively bouncing. "Can I get his _autograph_?"

Draco put down his book for a moment, looked quizzically at the first year, and then started laughing. Ginny cast him a dirty look.

"No, Harry's not here." Luna said. "He's training to be an Auror in Russia." Draco seemed to think this was the funniest thing in the world.

The little boy looked disappointed. then he pointed to Draco. "Um... who is he, and what's so funny?"

_"Nothing,"_ Cormac snarled, and joined Ginny in glowering at Draco.

"Yup... yup... nothing." Draco wiped a few tears out of his eyes and hid his eyes behind Hermione's book, still beaming. "And of course she didn't graduate," he added on. "She wasn't even here for her seventh year."

The first year nodded, then closed the door and slunk away.

"I don't get it," the boy by Luna said. "What was so funny?"

Draco was now humming a song Hermione didn't know, and once again not paying any attention to them.

"I'm sorry," Hermione turned toward the boy she didn't recognize. "I don't think I caught your name."

"I'm Rolf Scamander." he said with a nod. "Hufflepuff."

"Pleasure to meet you." Hermione smiled at him, then went back to _Magical Theory._

"Dearies, would you like something from the cart?" Hermione looked up to see that it was now three o' clock, and the trolley-pushing witch was standing in the doorframe, glancing around.

Hermione shook her head, and buried herself in _Magical Theory_. Her stomach growled loudly, and she felt her cheeks grow warm. She had no money on her.

Draco stood up, spoke with the witch for a few minutes, and came back carrying quite a lot of food. He dumped the majority of it on her lap. She stared up at him, openmouthed.

"You are very clearly starving," he shrugged, and plucked _Magical Theory _from her hands. "Eat."

"Uh... thank... you?"

He shrugged again and sat back down, reading more of Hermione's book. Hermione unwrapped a Chocolate Frog and gulped.

It was a picture of Voldemort. He sneered up at her. Hermione did _not_ want this card. "Take a card!" she threw it to Luna. It bounced off of her head, and she picked it up before anyone could see it and tucked it away.

Hermione didn't want to be full before the fantastic Hogwarts feast, but _was_ starving, so she ate her way through the pile of food Draco (of all people!) had bought for her.

_He probably poisoned it,_ she realized. _I'm going to die in a few minutes._ She shrugged and opened another box of Every Flavored Beans and popped one into her mouth. She kept glancing over at Draco, and she felt a bit strange inside when she went to change her robes.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

When Hermione returned, Neville was practically pinning Ginny's arms behind her back, and Luna and Rolf were both trying to drag Cormac off of Draco, who was trying desperately to shield himself with his arms.

_"Everte Statum!"_ she shouted, wand pointed at Cormac, who was thrown backward into Ginny. "What's going on?"

Cormac didn't acknowledge her. _"Pependi!"_

Draco crumpled to the ground, and let out a muffled _"Protego!"_

"Cormac, stop it!" Hermione demanded.

_"Esserio!"_ a tomato flew from Cormac's wand and hit Draco (who was looking up in fear) right in the face. His shield had been defective. He pushed himself upward, wincing.

Ginny pulled free and tackled him. Draco yelled in pain as she punched him, again and again.

_"Convello!"_ Luna pointed her wand at the two, and Ginny flew backward. She whirled on Cormac. _"Sakaki!" _A straightjacket materialized around him. Luna tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "Hi, Mione." She dropped back onto her seat and started reading the Quibbler again.

"What just _happened_?" Hermione demanded.

"I-" Cormac began.

"Ginny! What _was_ that?" Hermione exclaimed. Ginny looked away, skulking. She turned toward Draco. _"Episkey."_ His face instantly looked a lot better; his split lip and bloody nose vanished. "You might want to go get some of the tomato off of you."

He gave a curt nod and scurried out of the compartment, casting frightened looks at Cormac and Ginny.

Hermione looked over at Neville. "Please step outside with me and explain what just occurred."

Neville nodded and followed Hermione out of the compartment. "Cormac and Ginny attacked Malfoy."

"I know that, but why?"

"Because..." Neville looked confused. "Er... he's Malfoy?"

"So he didn't do anything?"

"Actually, well, Cormac kept bugging him about his Dark Mark, so he finally pulled up his sleeve, and he jumped him."

"Why is Cormac even _in _our compartment?" Hermione crossed her arms. "He hit Harry with a bludger in sixth year... he was a jerk to... _Ron_."

"I think we were all kind of scared to ask him to leave." Neville suggested. "I mean... he's _Cormac_."

Hermione sighed. "Neville, you cut the head off of Voldemort's snake."

"Yeah, but... Cormac is, well, he's Cormac."

Hermione nodded. She glanced over and saw Draco coming back down the train. Neville headed back into the compartment.

"Hi," Hermione said when Draco was back. He had changed into his robes.

"Your friend's a lunatic," he replied. Hermione frowned.

"He's not my friend."

"Smart choice." His face was still a little red from the tomato.

"Um," Hermione scanned her mind for something to say. "I think it would probably be a good idea to go and sit with, you know, some Slytherins."

"Right," Draco nodded. "I think they're all somewhere in Norway or Sweden."  
"Huh?"

"Most of them transferred to Durmstrang. I think a few of the girls are at Beauxbatons, too."

"You can do that?"

"Apparently." Draco shrugged.

"Well then..." Hermione's eyes drifted to his cheek. "Um, you still have some tomato on you. Right... here." She pointed to her cheek.

"Here?" Draco pointed somewhere else.

"No, _here_."

"Here?"  
"No... oh, let me get it off." Draco held still while Hermione pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed at the tomato. "There we go."

Draco grinned at her. "Thanks."

Hermione shook her head. "Stop doing that."

"Doing what?"

"Smiling and being polite. You're _scaring_ me!"

"I'm sorry. Do you want me to make your teeth grow, again?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Who are you, and what have you done with Draco Malfoy? Why are you being so nice?"

"Maybe I've always been nice."

"Yes," Hermione said sarcastically. "You've always been the _definition_ of sweet and innocent."

"Well, to be fair, I do have a heart wrenching backstory..." He pulled a ridiculously sad face and said, in teary-sounding voice, "My daddy never loved me, and Auntie Bella was always inviting a sadistic werewolf over for dinner." Then, in his normal voice, he added on, "I think they had something going on between them."

"Stop changing the subject."  
Draco leaned against the compartment door in an obvious attempt to look cool. "Maybe I'm reformed. Maybe I even went to a support group. Maybe I'm just turning over a new le-"

The door was yanked open, and Draco narrowly avoided falling backward onto Rolf.

"Oh," Rolf smiled apologetically. "Sorry, mate. We're just going to go change our robes." Neville and Cormac followed him out, the latter glaring at Draco.

"Didn't he hit Potter with a bludger once?"

Hermione sighed with load relief.

"What?"

"Nothing, I was just worried you would start calling all of us by our first names, and frankly, that would be just as scary as your odd change of attitude."

"What, would you prefer Granger?"

"No, Hermione's fine. Does this mean I have to call you Draco?"

"Yes."

"Well, Draco, we need to have a serious talk about you letting Ginny, of all people, beat you up."

"I thought I was being responsible." Draco gave her a smirk similar to his old ha-ha-I-win smirk but more kind. "You know, refusing to fight."

"Refusing to fight is only responsible when the other person gives in. Where would we be right now if Dumbledore always refused to fight Voldemort?"

Draco mulled this over. "You would be dead or enslaved, Snape would be headmaster still, my dad wouldn't be in prison, and I would be ruling a small country."

"See? No, wait, bad example-"

"But on the bright side, I get to rule a country, Dobby and most of your friends would still be alive, and I don't get beat up by Ginny." He pointed to Hermione's left arm. "And... you know. That's better."

Hermione glanced down at her arm, and gripped it with her other. She'd never really _realized_ that Draco knew about the scar his aunt had given her.

"You're making that alternate future sound terribly good, for something ruled by an evil dictator."

"Evil dictators are under appreciated." There was a sudden jolt, and Hermione fell onto Draco again. The train had stopped.  
"I, um, think we're here."

"It appears so."

"That was really just a polite way of telling you to let go."

"Ah. Sorry." Draco righted Hermione. "I put your books away, just so you know."  
"Thanks."

Luna and Ginny emerged from the compartment.

"Oh, there you are." Luna said in an almost wistful voice. Ginny looked anywhere but at Draco. "Did you see Rolf and Neville?"

Draco pointed.

"Thank you." Luna drifted off, Ginny following her.

"I think they hate me," Draco said with a carefree shrug.

"Well, Luna doesn't. And I think Neville's more scared of you than hates you."

"Are you?"

"What?"

Draco leaned toward her, eyes glittering. "Are _you_ scared of me?"

"You keep putting me in awkward situations by saying random things I can't reply to, and acting like a vampire in a teen romance novel."

Draco was clearly thrown off guard. "What?"

"And no, no I'm not." Hermione started to head down the hall. "Do you _want_ to get left on the train?"

Draco hastened to catch up with her. "Well, do you hate me?"

"I did. Right now, though, I'm questioning it."

"That's very kind of you. I don't hate you either." The two of them stepped off the train. A crowd of first years, led by a familiar figure, was headed over to the lake. Hermione waved, and the two hurried to catch the last, empty carriage.

Draco touched one of the thestral's manes. "Good horsey."

"You can see them?"

He looked down at his feet. "Charity Burbage. The old Muggle Studies professor."

"Oh."

Draco barged past her and opened the door. He gave her a mock bow. "M'lady."

"I am not your lady."

"M'person."

Hermione was getting used to rolling her eyes around this new Draco. She stepped into the carriage, and he followed her.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: I forgot to mention I don't own Harry Potter. I wish I did, though. Thanks to TheAngelOnYourRight, draco-is-mine124 (even though I'd hoped Draco was mine), Blue eyes to 30, and LadySarahj for the reviews and following the story. I'm actually on chapter eleven right now, because I started working on this a week or two ago, but I'm trying to space out the chapters. Um, I posted chapter one this morning. I'm doing a bad job. Please review, and follow if you like!**


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

Hermione liked Draco Malfoy. Not _that_ way, but he was certainly growing on her. He was funny, funnier than Ron had ever been, and was polite, too. They walked toward the Great Hall together, talking. She could _talk_ to him. He was _smart._ She'd ever been able to have intelligent conversations with Harry and Ron, but Draco understood every word that came out of her mouth. It was when they passed two ghosts who were staring at them, openmouthed, that she realized they'd been in close proximity since eleven o' clock, and now it was six or seven.

Peeves swooped down towards them. "Granger loves Malfoy, Granger loves Malfoy..."

"Shove off, Peeves." Draco sounded annoyed.

Peeves cackled and left to torment some second years.

"Hello, Hermione." a ghost lingering by the doors nodded to her.

"Hello, Sir Nick."

Nearly Headless Nick turned toward Draco. "I don't think I've ever met you in person, Mr. Malfoy."

Draco stuck out his hand. "Pleasure."

Nick looked at the hand in astonishment, then floated away.

Draco tilted his head. That was another thing Hermione liked about him. The head tilt. "I think he might be mad."

"Nick's weird," Hermione said. "Do yourself a favor and ignore his weirdness." They both looked over at Nick, who was amusing himself and a crowd of students by flipping his head so that is hung off his neck, then swinging it around. "And never, ever ask him how he can be nearly headless. I did that in first year."

"I will take that advice to the heart."

"Also, be nice to him, but don't get to chummy, or he'll invite you to his death day party. And you be guilted into skipping the halloween feast to go to a party where they don't even serve edible food."

Draco made a gagging sound.

"Moaning Myrtle left her toilet, though. So I guess it must be a big ghost party."

Draco nodded. "Did you even talk to Myrtle after your second year."

"Well... she lives in the girl's bathroom."

"Good. She always made a big deal about Potter never visiting her."

Hermione paused, about to walk into the Great Hall. "How did you even know about our second year? And how do you know Myrtle?"

Draco winked and walked into the Hall. Hermione followed. They both looked around.

"There's an extra table." Draco did another head tilt, looking confused. The Slytherin Table was half it's original size, and another empty table sat next to it. "I don't like where this is going."

"On the bright side, there are plenty of Slytherins. Well, more than I expected." The small Slytherin table wasn't full, but wasn't desolate either.

Draco frowned. "I should probably head over there now."

"Oh." Hermione felt her shoulders slump. She'd been enjoying Draco's company, and hadn't realized they wouldn't be sitting together.

"Yeah."

"So I guess... Bye. Hermione extended her hand, and Draco shook it.

"Bye." He trudged over to the Slytherin table, and found a seat next to the Bloody Baron and Theodore Nott. Hermione headed over to the Gryffindor table, where Neville and Ginny had saved her a seat, right between them.

"_Malfoy_, Mione?" Ginny asked when she sat down. "Really?"

"Can we not talk about my choice in friends?"

"He's your _friend_?" Neville set down his fork. "When did this happen?"

Hermione shrugged. "He's nice."

"Yes," Ginny said knowingly. "That's his cover. He is waiting patiently so that he can rip your heart out and feed it to a werewolf."

Hermione sighed. "Than you can dance on my grave and sing _I told you so, I told you so_."

Ginny nodded. "Yes."

"You're infuriating."

"But you love me."

"Yes." Hermione spooned some food onto her plate. "Harry told me Kreacher was promoted to Head Elf. I have to go down to the kitchens to visit him later. Do you know who the prefects are?"

"Me," Neville said. "Even though I'm repeating the year." He pulled a shiny badge out of his pocket and clipped it on proudly. "McGonagall talked to my grandmother about it and everything. She was really proud. Parvati's the other one- she came back too."

Hermione smiled. "That's great, Neville." She glanced over at Draco, who was picking at something that looked remarkably like brains. "Um, do either of you know about the new table?"

Ginny shook her head. "I-"

She was interrupted by a loud round of applause as Professor McGonagall stood up at the staff table. Hermione looked over at Hagrid and smiled, waving. He beamed at her, then jerked his head toward McGonagall, as if to tell her to pay attention.  
"Welcome," she said. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts. As you can see, we've fixed the ceiling. Most of you have probably grown accustomed to Professor Dumbledore's... _unique_... speeches, but I'm afraid I'll be unable to give one quite like his. Now, most of you have probably noticed the new table. You've also probably noticed that there are quite a lot of students here who were supposed to graduate. Unless you are a prefect, starting tomorrow, anyone repeating their seventh year at Hogwarts due to last years... interruption... will be sitting there."

Hermione's stomach flipped over. Her eyes went immediately to Draco, who was grinning at her.

"Now, for the moment you've all been waiting for. The Sorting!"

Filch carried on a stool, and gently placed a slightly burnt Sorting Hat on it. Neville looked at it happily.

"I am once again witnessing the expression on Voldemort's face when Neville pulled a sword out of that hat," Ginny said with a smile.

Neville turned red and went back to his food.

The hat opened it's mouth wide, and sang:

_"I've been burnt and bashed and baffled_

_Last year their was a battle_

_I've even sorted your parents and theirs._

_Good people and bad,_

_All of them I've had_

_Placing my brim over my had._

_And though the years are long,_

_I still sing my song_

_And you really ought to know-_

_The hat is never wrong!"_

"That was really short," Neville said around his potatoes.

One by one, each student was sorted. A dark skinned boy went into Ravenclaw, where he was welcomed by Luna. A boy named Joshua Drake went into Hufflepuff. Very few went into Slytherin, and their table tried its best to applaud loudly. but it never compared to the din of the other tables.

"This is really sad," Hermione whispered when a young girl was put into Slytherin and looked like she might burst into tears. She rushed over to the table and buried her face in her hands, as if hiding from the pathetic applause.

Neville nodded his agreement, mouth full.

"The next time someone gets put in Slytherin," Hermione decided, "I'm going to applaud too. Are you with me?"

Neville nodded again, and Ginny reluctantly agreed.

After a few boys were all sorted into Gryffindor, the pale, floppy-haired boy was called up. His name was apparently Michael Lerwick. The Sorting Hat fell over his eyes, reminding Hermione of Neville and Harry when they were Sorted. He looked just as nervous as they had been.

The hat was quiet for a moment, and then called out "SLYTHERIN!" The boy, unlike his predecessors, seemed overjoyed. He dashed off the platform where the teachers ate, ran back on to return the hat, and took what was previously the Bloody Baron's seat.

Hermione, Neville, and Ginny leapt up and clapped. At first a few people looked at them strangely; then Luna started clapping too, then Rolf, and when the next Slytherin was called up, the whole Hall applauded them. It was louder than when Harry had been Sorted. Hermione found herself looking over at Draco.

He smiled at her, and she blushed.

After a rowdy dinner, Hermione headed out with Ginny.

"I can't wait to be in the same dorm as you!" Ginny was saying. "All the girls in my year are so _boring_. Except for Luna."

When they reached the dorm, Hermione smiled at the sight of her luggage propped up against a familiar four-poster bed. She crawled under the covers and dreamt of gold and green.

**Author's Note: I really like this scene but felt kind of awkward about posting it... let me know whether or not you like it, so I can learn from my errors! ;) Also thanks to LillianMarie2 and Crookshanksisaninja. This is my first story, so I'm thankful to everyone following it and reviewing it. I also hope Draco's change isn't too sudden or random. I'm just writing him how I think he would be, and he really did change after the war. Please follow and favorite, and review if there's anything you like or dislike. And if you have something you think should happen, tell me about it via review. Thanks!**


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

_Dear Hermione,_

_I guess until you write back I'll have to assume everything's great at Hogwarts. I'll also have to assume they fixed the roof. Any Hogsmeade trips coming up soon? I'd l love to visit you, Ginny, and the whole DA. How're they doing?_

_I actually wasn't going to write you until at least a few days into the year, so you could take some time to get ahead in all of your classes, but something really weird happened last night. And Ron was, of course, absolutely no help._

_My scar hurt._

_It hasn't hurt all summer, but last night I woke up and it hurt pretty bad. In the Daily Prophet this morning it said some Death Eaters got arrested, but I'm not quite sure if that's it. I think I'd know... you know? I guess it could just be some sort of delayed backlash, but I thought I'd get your professional opinion._

_I got some sort of rant letter from Ginny last night, about some new guy you've met, but by the end of it she sort of backed down. I think she's mad about your breakup with Ron, and was kind of hoping for a great big happy family thing. That just wasn't meant to be, though, I guess. But as your friend, I demand to know who this new bloke is! All the tiny details- maybe I'll interview him next time we see each other..._

_Anyways, I just thought I'd drop an owl by. Speaking of which, this is my new owl. Mercury's his name. I've got to go now- Auror training. Takes up all my time._

_Harry_

The owl had been waiting for Hermione outside when she woke up. She sent him on his way with a nibble of a leftover Every Flavored Bean and no reply. She dressed as quickly as she could and spent more time on her hair then normal, brushing it back. Malfoy- _Draco_- had said it didn't look like a broom anymore.

_It'll always look like a broom_, Hermione thought with a smile. Her hair was just so bushy, sometimes almost like a squirrel tail or a thistle. She managed to keep it from sticking straight out (she owned lots of magically-enhanced hairspray), grabbed her bag, and headed down to the Great Hall. Instinct almost forced her to walk toward the Gryffindor table, then she remembered the new table. She hurried over, setting her books down with a _thump!_ on the bench by the table.

"Morning," Draco said over the Daily Prophet. He was sitting across from her.

"Morning," Hermione replied. She saw that he was drinking coffee- weird. He'd always struck her as more of a... Actually, had she ever even seen him eating? "Did you get a good night's sleep?"

"Nope," he said cheerfully. "You?"

"Oh, decent." She felt bad talking about how well she'd slept when there were shadows under his eyes. Hermione found a plate and started filling it with hash browns, cheesy eggs, and toast. When she looked up, he had folded up the Prophet and was staring at her. Quite intently. "Uh... so, um... what's your first class?"

He flashed her one of his trademark, dazzling smiles. "Transfiguration."

"Oh. I have Charms."

His face fell. "But I'll be lonely without you!"

Hermione laughed. "I guess we'll just both have to make do."

Draco gave her a head-tilt. "Come sit over on this side with me." Hermione was glad to oblige, standing up and hurrying over. "Lots of people came back for the last year."

"Yeah," Hermione nodded. "I guess that's what happens when evil wizards take over magical boarding schools."

"Yup." Draco took a sip of his coffee. "But I think Filch was in heaven."

"I would think so. He finally got to hang some kids up by their ankles."

Draco nodded. "Poor blokes. But Snape was a decent headmaster."

"Was he?"

"Yeah." He glanced her up and down. "Sometimes I forget you weren't here."

"What?"  
Draco looked down into his plate. "You know- you and Potter and Weasel. I didn't always realize you weren't here."

"That's sweet."

"Thanks."

"But also kind of disturbing because we were more or less your mortal enemies."

Draco grinned. "Oh, you weren't my _mortal_ enemy. That's a very special crown reserved for only Potter and Weasel."

"I seem to recall you hoping I would _die_ when we were twelve."

"Well, we were silly kids."

"And I punched you in the face when we were thirteen."

"Puberty, huh?"

"In fourth year you were just a general jerk."

"Oh, you thought I was referring to _my_ journey through puberty."

"In fifth year you practically helped Umbridge kidnap the DA and almost let her use the Cruciatus Curse on us."

"Survival of the fittest. Life is so cruel."

"And then you tried to kill Dumbledore."

Draco had an expression like he'd swallowed something sour. He opened his mouth, then closed it, then opened it again. "I think that was also the year your _friend_ cut me open for no reason. Well, I guess he _had _a reason, but it was completely uncalled for at the moment and he very nearly killed me. Am I rambling?"

Hermione chose not to answer that question. "And then in seventh year..." she squinted at him. "What _did_ you do in seventh year?"  
"You got locked in my cellar."

Hermione smiled triumphantly. "And in seventh year you locked us in your cellar."

"No I didn't!"

"Okay," Hermione slouched down so her head rested in her arms. "I give up. You've succeeded in confusing me."  
"I can check that off my life goals list."

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"In seventh year- the first one, that is- my father locked you in our basement. Crabbe set us all on fire. My Aunt Bella..." he froze. "Acted like my Aunt Bella. _I _quite specifically didn't do anything to you. Did I tell my family Potter was Potter?"  
Hermione shook her head. "You're making my head hurt. I'm lost. Are you a good guy or a bad guy?"

The only reply was the sound of him whistling his cheeriest tune yet. Hermione pushed herself up and looked over to see him reading the Prophet again. "Draco?"

He kept whistling.

"When did you start whistling? It's freaking me out."

He broke off his whistling, and in one fluid motion folded up his paper and winked at her. Then he picked up his bag and left the Hall.

**I always forget to mention that JKRowling and Warner Bros has the rights to Harry Potter, not me. Ah well! Also I'm working on a new fanfic about Batman and more specifically the Joker, Harley, Nightwing, and Gotham in general. It won't be up for awhile but just thought I'd let you know!**


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

Draco had seen Hermione enter Platform Nine and Three Quarters. He just hadn't recognized her. She'd turned away to quickly, but he's been watching the barrier to see if anyone he knew was coming back to Hogwarts, and he was fascinated to see someone he'd never met before. Especially someone with such pretty hair. Her head seemed to be made up of silky brown curls that reached just past her shoulders. He'd risen from his vigil and followed her. He hadn't actually realized who it was until she sat down, took out her book, and started reading it.

Christ, he'd been following _Hermione Granger_. He'd been practically stalking her! He'd rushed ahead before she could look up and see him, but had found a post where he could see her.

What had happened to her _hair_? It used to look like a brown version of her insane _cat_. Now it was smooth, shiny, beautiful- he was thinking about her _hair!_ What was he _doing?_ He wasn't allowed to do that! It was a rule he'd set for himself. Don't check out Granger. Not the Muggle-born. Even when he was gong through puberty and looked at every other girl in school, he'd tried especially hard not to look at her.

But he was looking at her now. She was totally engrossed in her book, a small crease appearing over her eyebrows. She actually looked kind of nice. Almost pretty. Actually, she was pretty, he had just forbidden himself from thinking it. But Granger had certainly filled out since he'd last seen her.

Her name is Hermione, he realized. She has a name. It's _Hermione_.

And to think he'd been calling her Granger all these years!

A red-haired girl walked by him, froze, walked back and stared at him staring at _Hermione_, and then walked away. He barely even noticed. _Hermione_. It was a good name. _Shut up, head. It's just Hermi- Granger. It's just _her_. Stop obsessing over it._

Finally, she rose, and drifted right past him. _I guess I'm better at being invisible than I thought_. He jumped up and followed her. She tripped over her suitcase and somehow managed to land flat on her face.

_At least she's sill clumsy._ He darted to catch her falling suitcase, narrowly saving her from a concussion. _What do I say? Act natural. Just... be yourself._

_Right, because _that_ got you far in life._

"You should really be more careful," he decided upon. For a moment he thought she might hex him.

"Um... hi?" she finally said.

_You don't hate me?_ He wanted to ask. _Why are you speaking to me?_

He glanced her up and down, then blurted out "Your hair doesn't look like a broomstick anymore."

_Well, _that _was charming._

_Am I trying to charm her?_

"Um. Was that a compliment?"

He smiled inwardly. She was actually kind of... something. She had something. "I think so." _She has something._

So he started pushing her bags and struck up a conversation, and found himself suddenly sitting a compartment with her.

And her _friends_.

He had nothing against her _friends_. They were alright. Except for that McLaggen. The issue was that her _friends _seemed to have something against him. But who could blame them? He'd put them through seven years of torture. He was pretty sure he'd used the Cruciatus Curse on some of them the year before, and had nearly killed the _Perfect Three_ in the Room of Requirement.

That had also been the day they'd saved his life. Weasel hadn't wanted to come back but Potter had. Potter had saved his life.

Draco's stomach flipped over with rage. Right now, he could deal with Hermione saving his life, because she was starting to grow on him but _Potter_- how could he owe _him_ his life?! Why hadn't Hermione swooped down on a broomstick to save him?

_Dammit._

Earlier, it had been a different sort of liking. He'd preferred her company to that of all the robed students- red, blue, and yellow- who were glaring at him, shooting daggers from their eyes.

It was kind of quiet in her compartment. She was sitting next to him, her breathing steady, her book the only object of her focus.

It was usually so loud in the DA compartment- he'd walk in to taunt them and find them in some sort of debate, and once he'd walked by and heard some sort of eruption. This was actually relaxing. Once or twice someone would make a comment on whatever they were reading- except for McLaggen, who was sulking in his seat and occasionally glancing down at the _Prophet_.

He could see why Hermione had walked around reading _Hogwarts, a History_ for so many years. It was a good book- actually pretty interesting. And it certainly explained a lot, answering questions he didn't know he had.

"I'm going to change," Hermione announced, closing her book with a snap. He smiled as she left- he liked her. She was _cool_.

"So," McLaggen said after a moment. _"Ferret."_

"I have a name."  
"You're a Death Eater."

Draco flinched at the accusation. "Not really."

"You _were_."

"Kind of?" Draco was determined to find anyway to avoid saying _yes_.

"If you're not a Death Eater, you won't have the Dark Mark." McLaggen scowled. "Do you?"

Draco inclined his head slightly and tried to pay attention to Hermione's book.

"So you do?"

"Cormac," Longbottom said. "We don't need to see his Dark Mark."

"It's a complete and utter waste of time," Luna said from behind the Quibbler. "Leave him alone."  
Rolf nodded. Draco peered up at them all from behind his book. They were all defending them.

_"Show me_." Cormac snarled.

"Cormac," Ginny said warningly, but she too was scowling at Draco.

"Show me," he demanded. Draco rolled his eyes and yanked up his left sleeve. McLaggen's lip curled upward. "Death Eater."  
Draco started at the accusation.

"I'm not-"

"How _dare_ you say that?" McLaggen. "Look at you. Look at your arm. You're a Death Eater."

Ginny was starting to nod. Draco felt something inside of him snap. He'd almost started to trust these people. "I'm not a-"  
"You were," Ginny said quietly. Draco's shoulders slumped.

"Yes. I was."

McLaggen narrowed his eyes. _"Everberus!"_

Draco's head cracked into the fall as if someone had punched him. He ducked as another jet of light flew toward him. He wanted to pull out his own wand and hex Cormac back, but then he would be finding, and what would Hermione think?

Why did he care what Hermione thought?

_Dammit._ To avoid being stunned, Draco ducked againa nd sent the least dangerous curse he could think of at McLaggen. Ginny dove at him, and Neville pulled her back.

And then, with all the glory of an avenging angel, the silky haired girl burst into the compartment and fought them off.

Well, that was it then.

The end of all reason. It was over.

**NOTE:  
everyone belongs to the awesome people they belong to.**

**Thank you to everyone who follows and favorites the story- getting little email updates saying people are liking it and me are the most amazing thing ever! I feel so special!**

**I have a Batman fanfic oneshot up about the Joker. It's called Multiple Choice. I'm hoping to put a longer fic up for the cpaed crusader and the clown prince soon! And of course Harley ;)**

**Sorry I haven't posted in awhile but it was my birthday then my grandparents were here then I had too much homework and then i was on tumblr and then I was writing and yeah. Next chapter will be up soon (in fact, the next ten chapters are all lined up just waiting!)**

**I am boring you now. Goodbye.**

**Oh and .com**


	6. Chapter 6

**How long's it been since the last post? ;) I blame school! I've officially posted one third of all the chapters I've written. But don't worry, I'm not even near that far through the story! Thank you for the amazing reviews, and for following and favoriting. You guys mean so much to me! And without further ado... **

CHAPTER SIX

Draco Malfoy didn't get any sleep.

That was what Hermione realized two weeks into the school year, when he'd almost nod off in the middle of a conversation turned monologue, snore on occasion in class, and he looked bad. Vampire bad. He looked exhausted, stretched out, worn down. Shadows fell from his eyes and down his cheeks. He wasn't the boy she'd befriended on their first day. He was a tired, tired boy.

Nobody seemed to like him or want him around. When he walked down the hallway people stepped away from him, murmuring _"Death Eater" _and _"Dark Mark"_ and _"You-Know-Who." _He no longer trailed after Hermione; if she smiled and skipped ahead of him he would freeze, and just stay where he was, like he was so tired he couldn't keep up. That scared her.

He was _Malfoy_. He was _Draco_. He had been Slytherin's Seeker, and now he could barely stay awake.

That night she came down to dinner, books clutched under her arm. She had to help Draco, but if he wasn't going to talk at dinner, she might as well study. She glanced up at the table, and saw Hagrid wasn't there.

"Hello," he said sleepily when she sat down next to him.

"Hi," she replied. "How was your day?"

He mumbled something incoherent and shoveled some mashed potatoes into his mouth. There were an awful lot of mashed potatoes on his plate, and gravy, and not that much of anything else.

"Don't you think you should eat something... healthier? Like protein, or, er, vegetables?"

"Potatoes are vegetables," Draco muttered, then muttered something else.

"Excuse me?"

He didn't answer her. Hermione thought nothing of it and opened her book, looking up every few minutes to make sure he was actual eating and not staring at his food like she'd seen Ron do.

There was a dull thud, and she looked up in shock to see Draco snoring, head half on his plate, half off, mashed potatoes sticking to his hair. Most of the people around him snickered, pointing and trying to hide their smiles. She could see Ginny across the room. She was laughing so hard, she looked like she might fall off of her bench. Hermione scowled at her, and poked Draco in the side.

_"Draco," _she hissed. "Draco Malfoy. Draco Lucius Malfoy. Wake _up_."

He didn't, so she gingerly lifted his head and slid the plate out from under him, and tried to dab off the potatoes. Then, she had an idea.

He took his glass of water and poured it over his head. He sat straight up, sputtering.

"I'm awake!" he said a bit too loudly.

"Good," Hermione nodded toward Ginny. "You were embarrassing yourself."

Draco looked over at Ginny, and stuck out his tongue. She gave him an obscene gesture.

"You're really quite mature," Hermione shrugged, and put away her book. "Nice to see you awake."

"Nice to be awake." Draco looked down at his plate. "Um, there are only potatoes on here."

"I know." Hermione shoved it away. "You're an idiot sometimes."

Still staring down at the plate, Draco grinned like it was simultaneously the funniest and most beautiful thing in the world.

"I am." He said, gulping down another forkful of potatoes. "I am _such_ an idiot."

Hermione smiled slightly. "You know, typically when someone insults you, you contradict them."

"It was not an insult. It was an observation and statement of fact. Compared to _you_, Hermione Granger," Draco pointed at her. "_Everyone_ is an idiot."

"I can never tell if you're making fun of me or complimenting me."

Draco shrugged. "Neither can I."

Hermione pulled a small vial out of her bag and pushed it towards him. "Here."

He inspected it carefully, then turned to her with a head-tilt and asked, "What's this?"  
"It's a sleeping potion. Drinking a teaspoon will guarantee you a dreamless, seven hour sleep."

"And why would I need this?"

"So that you don't get mistaken for a vampire."

He nodded. "That's a good reason." He pocketed it and had some more food.

"Draco," Hermione broke the silence. "Why can't you sleep?"

"I don't feel comfortable talking about it," he said matter-of-factly.

"I know how to make Veritaserum."

Draco sighed. "I have really, really bad dreams." He looked up at her. "And now you think I'm a coward."

"I don't think you're a coward." Hermione was taken aback. "There's nothing wrong with dreams. Half the time that's how Harry figured out what Voldemort was up to."  
"But these dreams don't _mean_ anything. They have no purpose except to torment me."

"Draco-"

"I'm not Potter. I can't predict the future. I can't save the world. I can't even go to sleep." He stabbed at the one piece of broccoli on his plate and lifted it with his fork turning it over. "And now I'm being a crappy friend. I can't be _good_ the right way, I can't be _bad_ the right way. What's wrong with me?"

"Draco, the world isn't split into good and bad people." He stabbed at some more food, getting potatoes on the broccoli. "Maybe it would help if you talk about this."

"I don't _want_ to talk about it."

"You're already talking about it."

Draco stared forlornly at his potato-covered broccoli. "I'm not talking about anything. I'm a volcano, and I'm erupting."

Hermione just looked at him. "Have you always been this poetic?"

"I'm only poetic when life _sucks_." he set his fork down with a bang, and shoved his plate away. "And my life sucks."

"No, it doesn't."

"Yes, it does."

"Fine then, your life sucks."

"Thank you!"

Hermione humphed. "Draco, you are going to discuss this with me."

"Fine," he agreed in a dark tone. "I have nightmares. Bad ones."

"About what?"

"You're not a _counselor_, Hermione."

"About what?"

He pulled his plate back and stabbed at his potatoes again and again. "You."

Hermione shot to attention. _"Me?"_

"And Aunt Bella." He looked like he wanted to murder his plate. "I have dreams that she's carving the word Mudblood into your arm and I try to move but I _can't_."

"Draco, that's-"

"And then I dream that Dumbledore's dying and I can't do _anything_ and it's _my_ fault, and then I'm in the bathroom and I'm bleeding onto the tiles and I can't move. And then Snape's dead and it's all my fault. It's _all_ my fault. _I can't do anything_!"

He buried his head in his arms.

"Draco," Hermione said quietly. "Let's go."


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN

Out in the hallway, Draco fell apart. His cheeks went wet. Hermione held him, and he seemed delicate, almost breakable. Hermione shuffled them out of the hallway and out the front doors, and into the warm fall evening.

"It's okay," she murmured.

"NO." he shook his head. "It isn't. Thats what makes it so horrible. I _could_ have done something, but I _didn't_."

"It doesn't matter what you did in the past. Do you know who Buddha was?"

"No."  
"Oh. Well he's the basis of a Muggle religion. He was a rich prince, then one day on a palankeen ride he saw people suffering, and realized life wasn't perfect, and went to become a monk. But he was a bad monk. So one day he mediated under a magical tree, and this evil god tried to distract him, but he didn't succeed, and so Buddha was enlightened and- this has nothing to do with anything. But the Buddhists, people who follow him, have a saying. Live in the present. Not the past, not the future, the _now_."  
Draco wiped his nose. "That doesn't help. People judge me because of what I did. The past creates the present."

"You're right. It does. I'm horrible at cheering people up. But I know someone really good at it." Draco sniffed. Hermione walked them toward the Forbidden Forest. "He wasn't at dinner, so he's probably at home." Sure enough, the windows of Hagrid's small house were full of light. She knocked on the door. It opened immediately.

Hagrid peered at her. "I can see you." he said gruffly. Draco looked stricken.

"Harry has the cloak," she reminded him.

"Well, it's about time you came down. Come on in." He cast abashed glance at Draco, then moved over to stir something that was simmering over his fire. Hermione pulled Draco in, then closed the door behind them. Draco, who was apparently in awe, spent about five minutes looking around.

"Hi, Buckbeak!" Hermione smiled, looking down toward her feet, where a hippogriff was curled up. Draco jumped and looked down, then let out a small scream and hid behind Hermione. She twisted her neck to stare at him in amazement, then started to laugh.

"You're scared of hippogriffs."

"Hermione!"

"You have hippogriffophobia." she giggled.

"It's not _funny_," he protested.

Buckbeak raised his head and whinnied. Draco shrieked again and cowered a bit lower.

Hermione tried to keep a straight face. "You're right. I'm being insensitive." she pointed to one of Hagrid's chairs. "Sit."

Draco collapsed into the chair and edged it away from Buckbeak, who was sill staring at it.

"Stay calm," Hermione said warningly. "He can smell fear.'

Draco squeaked, then glared at her. She smirked.

"Sorry." He rolled his eyes.

"So," Hagrid (who had apparently been talking the whole time) went on, "'Ow's yer year goin'?"  
"Fantastic," Hermione said, at the same time Draco said "Lousy."

"Well," Hagrid turned around with a plate of something in his hands and crossed over to his counter, which only took one step. "First off, I'd like to point out you 'ad some nerve bringin' _'im_ 'ere." Hagrid nodded toward Draco.

"What did I do?" his voice was rose, and Buckbeak was looking at him oddly.

"Well," Hermione took a seat. "You were going to expose him for taking care of Norbert, I mean, Norbert_a_, and then you supported his arrest, then you nearly had Buckbeak killed-"

Draco let out a high pitched squeal and sunk behind the table. "You mean that's the _same_ hippogriff?"

"-yes, and stop being such a baby. And in fourth year... well, you were generally nasty in fourth year, and in fifth and sixth year-"

"I think we're clear on my many spectacular failures!"

"It doesn't matter," Hagrid turned around with two plates of steaming... something... and set them down on his table. "Any student's welcome in me house."

Draco looked around. "And it is a very nice house. May I have a fork?" When Hagrid's back was turned, he leaned towards Hermione and hissed "What the hell is on my plate?"

"It doesn't matter, just don't eat-"

"'Ow's the stew?" Hagrid asked.

"Delicious!" Hermione beamed.

"I don't think stew goes on a plate," Draco whispered. Hermione snickered. Suddenly, Draco went alert, and looked around the room.

"Um, Draco..."  
"Where's your dog?" he asked Hagrid.

"Fang?" Hagrid bowed his head and let out a long, loud sniff.

"Oh." Draco looked down into his stew. "I'm... very sorry."

"'S alright." Hagrid said with a shrug, though it clearly wasn't. "Well, would ya lookat the time. You two need ter be headed back up to the castle. Go! Go on! Shoo!" he waved them out of his door, and back into the night.


End file.
